Victoria Police is increasingly reliant on council-run camera surveillance systems to identify and prosecute criminals.
A report last month by the Australian Institute of Criminology found police are more and more using footage from councils in their investigations.
Some 20 per cent of councils report requests for CCTV footage from police on a weekly basis and 81 per cent receive requests at least once a year.
The report stated 57 per cent of councils now have CCTV surveillance in public places, up from nine per cent in 2005.
However, Brimbank has only one public surveillance system, on the McKay pedestrian bridge.
Last year, the council applied for $300,000 of federal government funding for cameras and lighting along Clarke Street but was knocked back.
Lighting was installed on Clarke Street at the council’s expense.
The council’s community wellbeing director Neil Whiteside said he was open to the idea of using cameras for law enforcement.
“Council does support the use of CCTV systems for the purpose of assisting Victoria Police or other appropriate state government organisations,” he said.
He said the council’s CCTV systems in public places policy states cameras will only be installed if these costs are fully funded by another agency, such as the federal or state government.
Department of Justice and Regulation is offering grants up to $250,000 to councils as part of the public safety infrastructure fund for the development of safety and security infrastructure, which could include CCTV systems.
Brimbank council said it was still considering which projects need these funds most.
